Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-09
A TRIO OF NABOBS.
Two Vanderbilts and Their Brother
in-Law in a JewelrY Store.


Two Vanderbilts and Their Brother
in-Law in a Jeweiry Store.
NEW YORK, Jan. 81 accidentally ran
into 100000, 600 in a small jewelry store
on Fifth avenue few days ago. It was
more than 100000, 900 now that think
Of 1t, for there were three men m the
group, the eldest was MIR. Cornelius Van
derbilt, who was pale, clerical and
solemn looking, with a pleasant express
sion of the eye and tendency to lean
against posts and show cases. He stood
with mis- hands thrust into his trow-
sers' pockets and / was rejoiced to see
that all Of his millions could not keen his
trousers from bagging at the knees. Be.
size him stood his brother William X.
vanderbilt in the most irreproachable of
English clothes, with his mutton chop
whlskers brushed back from a weak, but
good-natured face. Between the two men
chatting annually with them was
Or. Seward Webb, who married
the youngest daughter OF the
late William Ii. Vanderbilt. DR..
Webb is the most popular of the men who
have married into this family. The three
men represented vast amount OF
money, but they were exceedingly COM
m0nplace in appearance, and the ieweler
after ward told me that they spent that
day exactly % cents for new crystal
for Cornelius watch. WHAT struck me
at the time as being most notable was the
influence which great New York family
like the Vanderbilts possess. Take Dr..
seward Webb for instance, he was sur
geon in ST. LuKe's Hospital when old
Mrs. Vanderbilt took her daughter there
Que day on visit of charity to the sick,
The daughter fell in love with the young
surgeon, married him, and on the death of
William II. DR.. Webb inherited $40 OOO,-
200 and an interest in the main portion of
the estate, He became president Of one
of the largest down town stock firms, was
made director in the wealthiest trust
company in the country and became
Identified at once with the Lincoln Bank
and other great Institutions. Now he
Wanders about the friend of milliOnaires
the most welcome OF visitors TO The boxes
in the opera house and a pleasant and
agreeable man about town. He is thick
set, heavy-taced and not at all dis
unguished in appearance, but evidently
very good fellow. The other sons iD-law
Elliot F. Shepheard is pompOus but
pleasant, aud MCKim Tw0mbleY IS AN
absolute nOnentity.
Another OF the great families in New
York Is just now being talked about
through the death of its head, Bishop
Potter. The Potter family must feel
rather lonely now that it has orly one
bishop lett in Its ranks. Its first bishop
was AlonZo Potter OF Pennsylvania; he
was the father of the late Clarkson Pot
ter, Howard Potter, the banker, and
Eliphalet Potter the President OF Hobart
College. Howard Potter is the father of
James Brown Potter, whose wife, a we'll
known beauty, Is now studying for the
stage In Paris.
The second Bishop was bishop Horatio
Potter, of the diocese of New York, who
died on Sunday at the advanced age of 50
years. He leaves two daughters and one
son, who is a professor in a Southern uni
versity. A third bishop is Henry Cod
man Potter, also son OF Bishop Alone
Potter, and lately the assistant Bishop OF
the diocese OF New York. He IS now in
some out of the way spot in Spain, where
cablegrams have failed TO reach him.
The chances are that President Potter
will be a bishop before he dies. lie is the
handsOmeet man OF the lot, has dis
tingulshed presence and is an eloquent
speaker. He was made President OF the
Union College when only 81 wears of age.
and the difficulties he got into there were
probably due to his youth and ineXperI-
ence. He is doing better as President of
Hobart College.
Perhaps the third in Importance in the
great New Y ork families. outside of the
pure commercial aspect, is Ge Field fam
lily. Indeed it may be said that the Fields
permeate the Intellectual and venture
some field of American life. They have
everywhere pushed themselves to the
head in great enterprises, in the law and
in education. Everybody knows VINO
David Dudley, Cyrus W., MIR. Justice
Field and President Field OF William
College are, but beside these four BROTH
ers, the sons, nephews and cousins innu
mera0le are quartered in New York, and
of course successful, for the influence OF
the Field family is enough to build up a
man in any walk of lie here. Fer in
stance. Cyrus w. Field, Jr , went into one
of the most successful brokerage houses
in this city backed 10y no other capital
than his name.
There are three OF New York's great
families, ana no matter how poor and
distant relation OF any one OF them may
be, he is sure of success If backed by the
influence of his kinsmen here. SO there
is something IN family after all.
| AMOS J. CUNMINGS AND BLAKELY HALL